Food Fads and Fabulous Finds for 2018

Sunday, February 18th, 2018

Food fads are prolific as the New Year begins, with resolutions to eat a more healthy and balanced diet being a popular pick for many. However, by mid-February this has lost its appeal, with many people losing their earlier resolve. So how do you stay on course for a healthier lifestyle?

Personally, we don't make many New Year resolutions because we find a collection of educated choices can lead to long term success when it comes to making lifestyle changes. Vegetables are getting in to the frame for 2018, with a lot of choices being advertised for more meat-free days, and a plant-based diet being pushed to the fore. If you want to explore these options then Vegfest UK offers one of the biggest vegan food and lifestyle festivals, taking place in Brighton, Bristol and London every year.

For individual company recommendations, Nom Noms World Food is a family brand that came up on our radar last year at an event in London. The founding family has travelled around the world, lived in three continents, and been brought up with a diverse palate and appreciation of world flavours, from a young age. Created by entrepreneur Lisa Sohanpal and her husband, Dr Imrat Sohanpal, with a special collaboration from their three children, Nom Noms World Food is a healthy and wholesome brand that really makes the most of authentic world flavours. Gentle and balanced enough for kids, but bursting with taste, flavour and texture for adults.

When it comes to indulgent treats, we love gluten-free from Honeybuns. As one of the first companies we interviewed many moons ago, we loved the fact that Emma made naturally gluten-free products, rather than jumping on the fad food wagon. What started out as a way to pay through college is now a busy cottage industry, putting back in to the environment with their bee and hedgerow planting projects.

More plant-based options are being offered from new kids on the block Oumph!, who have two products shortlisted for the FreeFrom Food Awards. The FreeFrom Food Awards, the UK's only industry award for the rapidly growing 'freefrom' food market, celebrate excellence and seek out innovation in gluten, milk, soya, nut and other allergen free food.

"We are super thrilled that Oumph! is shortlisted in the FreeFrom Food Awards. We don't focus on Oumph! as a meat replacement, we just see it as really good food, and it just happens to be vegan and free from gluten, dairy and nuts. We use our own spices in the different Oumph! products, and we also make a plain Oumph! that you can add any spices or herbs to yourself."

"Henrik Åkerman, Marketing Director at Food for Progress

For the latest in food and drink, a visit to London's Eat & Drink Festival - part of the Ideal Home Show - can uncover new brands worthy of a taste. Our next 'food find' stop is the 'trade only' Natural & Organics Show at Excel London, where we will join thousands of industry professionals at the UK's biggest showcase for natural & organic food and drink. Exciting times of discovery for food in 2018.

Whatever your resolutions, we hope your resolve is still strong, but if like us you find yourself failing, it is good to remember that little changes do add up, and setting smaller more achievable goals may add up to a bigger lifestyle change. When it comes to fads, look beyond the hype and do your own research because there is no magic diet, or one diet fits all. As individuals we need to get to know our own bodies and diet limitations to achieve personal success.